Dental device



VDec. 13, 1949 H. PREBLE, JR., rfrAL.

DENTAL DEVICE Filed Feb. 15, 1947 Y INVENToRs. HARRY PREBLLJR. ALFRED K.MAYEs uA T Tom/EY Patented Dec. 13, 1949 FMCE 'DENTAL BEViGE HarryPreble, 5r.,

1Iheni'icth Mayes,

Westport, Sonn., and Alfred' Arlington Heights, Mass.

Application February l5, 194'?, SerialNo; 728,926

4 Claims.

This invenion relates to dental devices, and more particularly, to acombined toothbrush and dentifrice container.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a combinedtoothbrush and container for' dentifrice in tablet form. The common formof a dentifrice is powdered, although liquid dentifrice have beenmarketed. Mo-re recently there has been' introduced dentifrice in tabletform. The `principal object of this invention is' to provide aconvenient container for this new type of dentifrice whichV isassociated with the toothbrush in a manner to enable a tablet to beextracted therefrom and used in conjunction with the toothbrush.

Another object oi the invention is to provide as combined toothbrush anddentifrice tablet contai'ner in which thebristlesofthe-brush' are fullyencased and" protected when the unitary device is not in use. An'allied' Objectis to provide a unii tary' device' as described having atoothbrush component which' maybe readily adjusted from its noni-useposition, in which its bristles are encased' and. protected, to anoperative position presenting its bristlesI for convenient' use.

A further object of the invention is' to provide a unitaryv dentaldevice as described in which the dentifrice tablet' container isvautomatically closed at' the time'that the tootl'rbrushl component. isinit's said' non-use position with the bristles thereof encased' andprotected` Another' object7 ofr the invention is to provide a dentaldevice' as described which willbe cornpact, comprised of" a relativelyfew number of partsonly three parts beingf employed, and easilymanipula-todi; which will be sanitary and easy" to clean; which will'have a special provision' for ventilation; whichz will be convenienttouse, presenting a convenient grip for the toothbrush; and which 'willhold the tablets in a manner to prevent inadvertent displacement fromthe' contai'ner'.

For the attainment of theseand such other objects as may appear or bepointed out, we have shown a preferredembodiment of our invention in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure lf is an elevational section through the improved device in itssaid: non-use position;

Figure 2 isf a perspective view ofthe device in this position;

Figure 3'k is an'- elevational section through the device With: thetoothbrush component in midposition and the tablet compartment in openposition, the toothbrush component being shown in d'ot-and-dashy linesin itsoperative extended position;

Figure-y 4' is a perspective viewv ofA the-body mem bera'nd thebarrelmember separate d from. one another; but shown inl coordinatedrelation;

iigure-V 5 is a transverse; section. through. the

fio.

portion tabletcompartment taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 1, showing'this compartment closed;

Figurel 5A is a similar transversek section but showing:v the' tabletcompartment' in open position;

Figure 6 is a transverse section through the brush` compartment taken onthe line i-B of Figure 1.,A showing the brush bristles inv theirnonuse,encased position; and' Figure 6A is a similar transverse sectionbut showing the closed condition of the brush compartment uponwithdrawal of the brush bristles and opening of the tablet compartment.

The improved device comprises but three parts,

i; viz., a toothbrush component 2d,v al body member lil, and a tubularclosure or barrel 30; prefera'bly; all three parts are fabricated ofplastic, althoughother suitable material may be used for one or more ofthe .three parts. Body member I0 a substantially'semiecylindrical shellportion I! whichv is divided byV an integral, circular pardition |22into a tablet compartment I3 and a bristle compartment i4; The tabletcompartment I3 extends between partition l2 and a head i5 which formsone end of the body mem- Figure 4. The brush compartment il!! extendsbetween partition l2 and an integral, circular end plate I6. Headportion I5 is hollow, as best shown in Figure 1, and has a wall Hadjacent the semi-cylindrical shell l l,. which is circular and ofsomewhat larger diameter than they diameter of the semi-cylindricalshell". l l' so thatA a recessed shoulder I8 is provided at the juncturewith thel semi-cylindrical shell.

Barrel 3B is cylindrical or, rather, tubular, and open at one end,38,`as best shown in Figurev 4; its other end is closed by an integral,circular end plate 35. The internai diameter of barrel 30 is somewhatlarger than the diameter of semi cylindrical shell li and partition l2and end plate It thereof, so that barrel 3U may be placed ini encirclingrelation to the semi-cylindrical shell lil and turned relative to thebody member. The length' of barrel 39 is such that when placed in saidencircling relation to the semi-cylindrical ber, asbest shown in shellil, itsend edge 38 abutsr the outer annularv portion: of wall l'i of thebody member lil (including recessed shoulder I8) and its end plate 36isi` disposed outwardly of, and adjacent to, the endplate it of the bodymember.

End plate iny oi the body member is' provided with a centralV aperture'it and the end plate 3S or the barrel is provided with a centralaperture 3er", the two apertures aligning Jfor reception of a hollowrivet d, Figures l, 3. In addition to its vfunction in securing endplates I6, 35 for rotative movement, hollow rivet il serves as aventilation opening to' admit air into brush bristle compartment: iii.

Toothbrush component Eolias a stem 2l at one end of which are providedthe bristles 24. The other end of stem 2| has an enlargement 29 which isreceived between a pair of integral, parallel lugs 8, see Figures 4 and2, projecting upwardly from the head portion I5 of the body member. Headportion I5 has, between its parallel lugs 1, 8, an opening I9, seeFigure 4, wherethrough the lower portion of enlargement 29 of thetoothbrush component clears. Parallel lugs I, 8 are provided withapertures, respectively, 'I, 8', Figure 4, and enlargement 29 isprovided with an aperture 29', the three apertures being aligned forreception of a pin 6, Figure 2, for pivotally securing the toothbrushcomponent to the body member.

Barrel 3G has an elongated slot 34 which is substantially the length ofthe bristle compartment I4 and of a width, see Figure 6, to permitbristles 24 to clear therethrough. Stem 2I has a projecting portion 25at the bristle securement, which is of a length less than that or"bristle compartment I4, see Figure 1, so that it enters the compartmentto a limited extent and is abutted and stopped by the edges of slot 34of the barrel, as clearly shown in Figure 6. Projection 25 terminatesshort of the distal end of the stem 2| to provide a shoulder 25, seeFigure 1. As clearly shown in this iigure, the end of the stem 2Iextends beyond the end plate 36 to provide an overhanging lip at theshoulder 26. Bristle slot 34 of the barrel extends beyond the end plate36, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The end plate I6 of the body member,see Figure 4, has an arcuate notch IBX of substantially the width ofbristle slot 34 of the barrel. The object of arcuate notch IEX is toprovide clearance for the projection 25 of the toothbrush component, seeFigure 1.

Barrel 3B is provided with a second elongated slot 33 diametricallyopposite the bristle slot 34 and extending for a length substantiallythat of the tablet compartment I3, to the open end 38 of the barrel.Slot 33 is considerably wider than the bristle slot 34 and is such thata dentifrice tablet-such as 3 in Figures l, 3, which has a diameterslightly less than the inside of the tablet compartment I3, may clearthe slot 33, see Figure 5A, when being withdrawn from, or inserted in,the tablet compartment. Preferably, the width of slot 33 is such thatthe tablet (either in its bare form or fully or partially enclosed bywrappers) must be forced slightly in withdrawing it from the tabletcompartment.

By reason of the said diametrical relation of the bristle slot 34 andthe tablet slot 33, barrel 3D may be turned 180 between non-use andoperative positions, as will now be described. In its non-use position,the barrel 30 is turned to present its bristle slot 34 in upwardposition, as in Figure 4, at the opening of bristle compartment I4, asin Figure 1 and Figure 6. Toothbrush component 20 is turned on its pivot29', see Figure 1, to encase its bristles 24 within the bristlecornpartment I4, see also Figure 6. When barrel 30 is in this non-useposition, its tablet slot 33 is lowermost, as in Figure 4 and in Figure5; as clearly seen in the latter figure, barrel 3! cornpletely closesthe tablet compartment I3.

To recapitulate, Figures 5 and 6 show the nonuse position, Figure 5showing the tablet compartment I3 (which is closed) and Figure 6 showingthe bristle compartment I4 (which is open, at barrel slot 34, but closedby the toothbrush component itself).

It will be noted from Figure 1 that the recessed portion of thetoothbrush component, between projection 2I at the bristles and proximalenlargement 29, receives the barrel 30, or rather the wall thereof,which closes the tablet compartment.

In its non-use position the device is completely enclosed, as best seenin Figure 2, the toothbrush component, more particularly, the portion ofits stem 2| at the bristles serving as a closure for the bristle openingof the barrel. The lugs 'I and 8 of the head portion II of the bodymember and the enlargement 29 of the toothbrush component present aflush surface, as shown.

When the toothbrush is to be used, it is turned on its pivot 29the lipor shoulder 26 at its distal end facilitating initial turning-from theclosing position of Figure l (also Figure 2) to the solidline positionof Figure 3, in which it is substantially normal to the body member. Thetoothbrush component is held in this position-by a spring 413, whichwill be fully described shortlyto facilitate the turning of the barrelto bring its tablet slot 33 from its lowermost position (Figures 4 and5, in the non-use position of the device) to its upper position, as inFigures 5A and 3, to provide an opening for removal of a tablet 3. Inthis turned position of the barrel 30, its bristle slot 34 will be inlowermost position, Figure 6A, completely closing the bristlecompartment I4.

To recapitulate, Figures 5A and 6A show the in-use position, Figure 5Ashowing the tablet compartment I3 (which is open) and Figure 6A showingthe bristle compartment Iii (which is closed by the barrel 39) Thebarrel is then turned 180 to its closed position (Figures 5 and 6) andthe toothbrush component 23 turned to its extended position, shown indot-and-dash lines in Figure 3. The body member I0 with its barrel 30serves as a convenient handle for the toothbrush; the body member iscompletely closed, see Figure 5, at the tablet compartment and there ismerely the narrow bristle slot 34, see Figure 6, at the bristlecompartment.

Spring 4I) mentioned above, as holding the toothbrush component 20 insubstantially normal position, Figure 3, performs in all, threefunctions: (a) It maintains the toothbrush component in closed position,Figure 1; (b) it maintains the toothbrush component in normal position,Figure 3, and (c) it maintains the toothbrush component in extendedposition, Figure 3 (shown in dot-and-dash lines). Spring 40 is a stripof suitable spring material formed as a reverse -S, with a lower branch4I resting on the floor of the hollow within head portion I I of thebody member, and an upper branch 42. In the closed condition, Figure 1,the upper branch 42 abuts the iiat underside 29a of the enlargement 29to exert an upward force thereupon, so that the turning of thetoothbrush component, more particularly, its enlargement 29, is resistedby the spring which must be pressed downwardly in the turning ofenlargement 29. In the extended position of the toothbrush, dotand-dashlines, Figure 3, the upper branch 42 of the spring-likewise shown in thedot-anddash lines-abuts the ilat surface 29C of the outer face of thetoothbrush component, to resist the turning thereof and to maintain itin extended position. In the normal position of the toothbrushcomponent, solid lines, Figure 3, the upper branch 42 abuts the endsurface 29o of the enlargement, the spring 40 being in compressedcondition and exerting an upward force which passes through pivot 29' tomaintain the toothbrush component in the normal position as shown.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely bypreferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may bemade therein which will still be comprised within its spirit, such asthe employment of tablet compartment I3 for housing a powdereddentifrice. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is notlimited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except in sofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A dental device adapted for dispensing dentifrice tablets, comprisinga body member closed at one end and divided into a bristle compartmentat said end and a compartment adapted to contain the said dentifricetablets at the opposite end, a toothbrush component pivotally mounted atthe other end of the body member and having bristles at its distalportion, and a barrel closed at one end mounted in encircling relationto the body member and provided with slots opening into the saidcompartments, said ends of the body member and barrel being rotativelysecured by a hollow rivet whereby the said bristle compartment isventilated.

2. A dental device adapted for dispensing dentifrice tablets, comprisinga body member divided into a bristle compartment and a compartmentadapted to contain the said dentifrice tablets, a tooth brush componentpivotally mounted at one end of the body member and having bristles atits distal portion, and a barrel mounted in encircling relation to thebody member and rotatable about its longitudinal axis and provided withslots opening into said compartments, said toothbrush component beingturnable from a closing position with its bristles disposed in the saidbristle compartment to an extended position in substantial alignmentwith the said longitudinal axis oi the body member, and spring means forholding the toothbrush component in its said closing, and in its saidextended, position.

3. A dental device adapted for dispensing dentirice tablets, comprisinga body member divided into a bristle compartment and a compartment wayof example and in adapted to contain the said dentifrice tablets. atoothbrush component pivotally mounted at one end of the body member andhaving bristles at its distal portion, and a barrel mounted inencircling relation to the body member and rotatable about itslongitudinal axis and provided with slots opening into saidcompartments, said toothbrush component having a closing position withits bristles disposed in the said bristle compartment, an extendedposition in substantial alignment with said longitudinal axis of thebody member, and an intermediate position, and spring means for holdingthe toothbrush component in any one of the said three positions.

4. A dental device adapted for dispensing a dentifrice, comprising abody member divided into a bristle compartment and a compartment adaptedto contain the said dentifrice, a toothbrush component pivotally mountedat one end of the body member and having bristles at its distal portion,and a barrel mounted in encircling relation to the body member androtatable about its longitudinal axis and provided with slots openinginto said compartments, said toothbrush component being turnable from aclosing position with its bristles disposed in the said bristlecompartment -to an extended position in substantial alignment with thesaid longitudinal axis of the body member.

HARRY PREBLE, JR.

ALFRED KENNETH MAYES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the OTHERREFERENCES The decision of the Commissioner of Patents in Ex parteIagan, 1911, C. D. 10.

